Scaffold.



A. N. FAULKNER.

SCAFFOLD.

APPLICATION FILED NOV; 23. 1914.

]Patentedl Dec. 14, 1915.

3 mue Wcoz ALBERI. l\T. FAULKQER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR 'JLO CHESEBRO WHIJLMAN 00.,

A CORPORATION OF 'NEW YORK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Deo.14, 1915.

Application filed 1Tovember 23, 1914. Serial No. 673,539.

T0 all w7wm z't may concern:

]Be it known that I, ALBERT N. FAULKNER, a subject of the King of England, residing in New York, in the borough of Manhattan, county and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Scafiolds, of which the following is a specification.

The object ofthis invention is to provide means for controlling the rotation of the cable' drum, one of these means being adapted to be used when elevating the platform, and the other when lowering the same, whereby the necessary rapidity of upward movement is obtained, and when lowering the platform, the desirable slow movment under a high degree of control is secured.

The invention is shown in the accompanyin,q drawing, and Will be more fully described hereinafter and finaily pointed out in the claims. In the drawing, Figure 1 is a front devation of a scfi'old -embodying the invention; Fig. 2 is a side view of one of the hoisting mechanisms; Fig. 3 is a similar view showing a portion of the frame, and the hoisting mechanism on a larger scale; and, Figs. 4 and 5 are detail views of portions of the hoistingmechanism.

Similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Referring to the drawing, the scaflold comprises two hoisting mechanisms, and a floor extending between the frames, and supported thereby. Each hoisting mechanism comprises two upright bars 17, 18, of channeI-steel or other suitable material, which are spaced apart parallel with. each other, as shown in Fins. 2 and 3, and are connected by cross-rods 13, 14 and 15. From each bar, 17, 18, depends a hook, said hooks 10 and 11 bemg bolted or otherwise detachably seeured to the. bars by any suitable means, as for instance, secured on the oter projectng ends of the cross-rods 13, 15, as indicated in Fig. 2. Their upturned lower ends are spaed apart to receive the side rails of an ordmary Iadder 43, which is thereby. supported from the hoisting mechanisms, in homzontal position, and with the planks 12 laid thereon form the floor of the scafiold. The hooks may be connected at their lower ends by a cross-rod 42, so as to be reliably held the required distance apart to receive the ladder and support the same.

A shaf't 16 is jou1naled at its ends in the upmght members 17, 18, and carries Ioosely mounted thereon, the cable drum, Which coniprises the hub 19 and two end fianges20 and 21. Secured to the fiange 20 is a ratchet- Wheel 22. A hand lever 23 is pivoted to the shaft 16, between said ratchet-Wheel and the adjacent frame member17, and carries a pawl 24 in position to engage the ratchet, sa1d pawl, however, being normally out of engagement therewith, when the handle is not being operated, as shown in full fines in Fig. 4. A detent pawl 25 is pivoted to the frame member 17, and nomhally engages the ratchet22. Between the opposite flange 21 and the adjacent frame member 18, there is fixed upon the shaft 16 a Worm-Wheel 26, which is engaged by a worm 27, mounted in brackets 28, extending from the member 18. To the onter end of the shaft 29 of the worm 27 is applied a crank 30. having a handle 31, whereby the worm may be readily operated. To the said shaft 16 is also applied, adjacent the fiange 21, a ratchet-wheel 32, Which is engaged by two .pawls 33 and 34, pivoted to sa1d flange 21. and spring actuated by springs 33? and 34 into constant engagement with said ratchet 32. A cylindrical housing 35 is secured to the frame member 18. and extends over the worm-wheel 26, worm 27 and ratchet-wheel 32, and thereby prevents entangling of loose parts therewith, and also protects the' mechanism against interference from any outside source. thereby enabling an indenendentl v operated mecha nism to be provided, Which being intended only for the downward moVement of the platform, is thus Protected in all events, so as to be operative for the upward movement of the platform. A lug 36 on the pawl 24 limits the backward movement of the pawl in the position shown in full lines in Fig. 4, so that the pawl rests substantially perpendicular to the lever-arm 23 by reason of the weight' of the pawl and the position of the pivot of the same, When it is desired to mise the scaiold, the operator swings the handle 23 into an upwardly-inclined position, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 4.

A When the lever-afin 23 is thus raisedinto upwardly-inclined position, the. pawl is carried over its center of gravity, and automatically, falls into engagement with the ratchet 22. Being 50 in engagement, the

. operator noW bears downwardlv upon the lever-arm 23, thereby movingdownwardly said lever-arm from dotted position t fullline position with the pawl in engagement with the ratchet, whe'reby the drum 'is turned, and the cable 37 is wound thereon.

This operation is rapidly and easily performed and repeated by the operator, and results in a speedy upward movement of the platform by the winding of the cable upon thedrum. The dotent pawl retain the dr urn in any position to which it -may be ralsed, {and acts automatically to do this at each operation of the hand-lever 23. When v the desired height is reached, the haiid-lever is permittedto resume its inclined position,

as shown in Fig. 4, in which position'it is arrested by abutment of a stop pin 38 against the frame member 17. On the return movement of the-handle 23 the pawl 24:

falls into disengaged position, as shown in.

Fig. 4. Duringthe rotation of the drum for winding the cable thereon, the pawls 33 and 34 play looselvovet the ratchet 32. The

, shaft 16 is held against rotation by engagement with the worm-wheel. The ratchet 32 being thus also held aginst rotation, the 45 pawls 33 and 34 engagingthe same provide an additional safeguard against accident, as,

incase of breakage of the detent pawl 25,

these paWls 33 and 34 would sustain the scafi'old by engagement with the rattchet 32. As a matter of fact, it is desirabk to make the teeth ofthisiacchet and of the ratchet 22 of such sizes and so relatively arranged,

that all the pawls, 25,33, and 34 Will at the same time engage thelr respective ratchets, and eachpawl will sustain a portion 'of the For lowring the platform, tl1e pawl 25 is brought out of engagement with the ratchet 22 and swung over npon its back, where it may rest upon the ratchet, as shown in dotted.lines in Fig. 4, S0 as not to interfere with the rotation of the same. The operator then, by means of the handle 31, r0- tates the worm 27, so as to turn the wormwheel 26 in imwinding direction of the cable, whereby the cable is paid ofi the drums to the desired extent with a slow movemcnt, and under entire control, by reason of the worm and worm-wheel, which gives the operator an opportunity to readily arrest the downward movement of the platf0rm at any point desired. WVhen the platform has been lowered to the desired elevation, the pawl 25 may be again thrown in, and the scafold romains securely supported as before.

The hoisting mechanism described provides a comparatively simple but reliable and safe means of obtaining the two speeds desired for the practical operation of paintors" and other scaifolds. Being located above the platform-supporting frame, the mechanism is out of the way, and leaves the floor clear for the working material, while at the same time, the mechanism occupies a position more convenient for operation.

One embodiment of the invention has been described, but it is obvious that changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention, as set forth in the claims.

I claim:

1. A hoisting and lowering mechanism for scafiolds, comprising a drum, releasable means at one end of the said drum adapted to operate the drum in hoisting direction, feleasable means for preventing backward movement of said drum, steady control and operating means at the other end of the drum, and means for engaging it with the scafiolds, comprising a drum, releasable means at one end of the, said drum adapted to operate the drum in hoisting direction, releasable means for preventing backward movement of said drum, a worm-nctuated ratchet wheel at the other end of the said drum, and spring-pressed pawls on the said drum engaging the said ratchet to prevent or produce backward motion while automatically permitting the 'forward hoisting motion When the first-mentioned releasable means is in operation.

A hoisting and lowering mechanism for scalolds, comprising a drum, comparatively rapidly operable means at one end of the said drum adapted to operate the drum in hoisting direction, steady control and operating means at the other end of the drum, as my invention, I have signed my name in and means for engagmg 1t W1th the drum presence of two subscnbmg w1tnesses. to prevent or produce backward mot1on Whil0 automatically permitting the forward ALBERT FAULKNER' hoisting motion when the hoistng means is Witnesses: in operation. Jos. BISBANO,

In testimony, that I claim the foregoing D. GORDON. 

